Driving mechanism for internal combustion engines and the like



A. H. CRASKE 2,102,196

STION ENGINES AND THE LIKE Dec. 14, 1937.

I DRIVING MECHANISM FOR TNTERNAL COMBU Filed Sept. 28, 1936 H w w: z 0 Z /k 0 r n m n m m .|l !.|.m N m W f M E- I.IJW Q miblrl A I. TIL c 11-4 TiIL T J F7 d PAC ZIP Patented Dec. 14, 1937 DRIVING MECHANISM FOR INTERNAL COM BUSTION ENGINES AND THE LIKE AlfredfHenry Craske, Salisbury, England, assignor of one-half to William Raleigh Kerr Gandell; West Kensington, London, England Application September 28, 1936, Serial No. 103,043

v In Great Britain October 1, 1935 v 8 Claims. 11. 74-44) The present invention relates to. means 1 for converting qthQ. reciprocating movements of a pistoninto the rotarymovements of a shaft, the invention benig applicable to any fluid-driven ne i whishe t employed In its'simplestform the apparatus comprises a single piston, of' which the rod is connected to and operates twin or three eccentrics. In the case of twin eccentrics one is mounted on the inner and the other on the outer of two concentric shafts, which are driven in opposite directions at the same speed. In the case of three eccentrics the two outside ones revolve in one direction, whilst the centre one revolves in the opposite direction. I

In a preferred form of construction a pair of oppositely disposed cylinders are employed and the piston of each cylinder is connected to a pair of eccentrics by means of a cross-head and a pin passing through the eccentric straps, the arrangement being such that one eccentric of each pair is mounted on and drives the inner shaft, whilst the other eccentric of each pair drives the outer shaft, which is in the form of two sleeves spaced apart from one another by the eccentrics.

The inner shaft is preferably hollow so that it may serve as an oil chamber, a. machine gun housing or as a means of discharging exhaust gas or compressed air, for example.

With the arrangement described the direct thrust of each piston is applied to two eccentrics, and none of it to the cylinder wall as in the case of crankshaft engines. Also the forces acting on each piston rod are balanced so that the piston rod can be made co-aXial with the piston.

Suitable gearing is provided for transmitting the motion of the outer concentric sleeves or shafts to a lay shaft and for transmitting the motion of the inner concentric shaft to an intermediate shaft. An additional gear wheel mounted on the end of the lay shaft also meshes with and drives the intermediate shaft.

Any number of pairs or groups of three eccentrics may be spaced along the inner shaft provided with the necessary number of sleeves placed I between them. The cylinders connected to each pair of group of three eccentrics may be arranged radially at different angles.

One form of construction of the invention is illustrated diagrammatically in the annexed drawing as applied to a two-cylinder unit, but it is to be understood that any desired number of cylinders may be employed.

Fig. 1 is a plan view, and

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. l.

In thedrawing, a and a. are two piston rods connected to two pistons, not shown. Theserods pass through glands b and b respectivelypro vided with any suitable packing c and c orany form of gland. The rods cand a are respectively 5 connected to cross-heads d 'and'd. A pair of similar and symmetrically arranged eccentrics e and f are connected to the cross-head d by means,

of a pin g passing through the eccentric straps h and. a, and a similar pair of eccentrics k and l 10 are attached in a similar manner to the crosshead d. The two inner eccentrics f and Z are mounted on and drive in one direction a hollow shaft m: the two outer eccentrics e and 7c are mounted, on and drive an outer shaft 12 in the 15 opposite direction, this shaft n being in the form of a two-part sleeve concentric with the hollow shaft m.

The outer shaft 12 carries two gear Wheels 0 and 0' which are connected to two further gear wheels p and p mounted on a lay shaft q. These four gear wheels are all of the same diameter, and with the arrangement described an extremely well balanced drive is obtained.

The inner shaft m carries a gear wheel 1' and the lay shaft q carries a similar gear wheel 1'. It is obvious that the gear wheels r and 1" will rotate at the same speed and in the same direction.

The gear wheels 1' and r are connected together by an intermediate gear wheel t mounted on an intermediate shaft 8 and serving as a synchronizing member.

The gearing described may be replaced by a differential gear arranged in any suitable manner.

The eccentric sheaves are conveniently mounted in ball or roller bearings as shown in Fig. 2.

It may be'advantageous to offset the rotary centre of an eccentric from a vertical line drawn through the central axis.

The gland may consist of a housing containing a number of metal discs through which the piston rod is slidable. The metal discs have ground surfaces and are oil fed. The ground surfaces are retained in close contact with one another by suitable means.

It may in certain cases be desirable to provide guide rods in which the pistons and crossheads slide.

Although the invention has been described in connection with the conversion of reciprocating motion into rotary motion, the invention can equally well be applied to the conversion of rotary 1. Means for converting reciprocating motion into rotary motion orvice versa, such means comprising one or more combinations of not less than two eccentrics acting respectively on two con.- centric shafts, means being provided whereby the shafts are caused to revolve in opposite directions, but at the same speed.

2. Means according to claim 1 for convertin reciprocating motion into rotary motion or vice versa, in which the inner shaft is hollow.

3. Means according to claim 1 for converting reciprocating motion into rota motion or vice versa, in which the outer shaft is in the form. of not less than two sleeves spaced apart from one another by the eccentrics.

4. Means according to claim 1 for converting reciprocating motion into rotary motion or vice versa, in which a piston rod is connected to a cross-head provided with a pin or equivalent device to which the requisite number of eccentric straps are attached.

5. Means according to claim 1 for converting reciprocating motion into rotary motion or vice versa, in which the outer shafts carry pinions or the like adapted to mesh with pinions or the like mounted on a lay shaft,

'6. Means according to claim 1 for converting reciprocating motion into rotary motion or vice versa, in which .the inner shaft and a lay shaft each carries a pinion .or the like adapted to mesh with and drive a pinion or the like mounted on aninterinediate drive shaft. 7

'7. Means according to claim 1 for converting reciprocating motion into rotary motion or vice versa, in which at least one pair of piston rods isemployed, the movements of each pair of pistons being opposed.

8, Means according to claim 1 for converting rotary motion into reciprocating motion, in which the rotary movements of an intermediate shaft are transmitted to the piston rods.

ALFRED HENRY CRASKE. 

